One feature associated with the evolving field of medical technology is the continual effort to develop methods for repairing human tissue which require less disruption of the tissues and organs which surround an area requiring repair. In this regard, various forms of orthopedic surgery that once required that a large portion of a joint to be exposed during surgery can now be performed by making several small incisions. During such surgery, a fiber optic probe and various instruments are inserted into the incision to allow a surgeon to inspect and/or remove the damaged tissue without unduly disturbing the surrounding non-injured tissue. This type of surgery can be generally known as arthroscopic surgery.
While arthroscopic surgery, when available, can often be a desirable form of surgery due to its less intrusive nature, there are certain portions of the procedure that can be more difficult for the surgeon during such surgery. One difficulty which can be encountered includes suturing tissue during arthroscopic surgery. Suturing tissue during arthroscopic surgery can be somewhat difficult because a surgeon must manipulate the suturing instruments through a relatively small incision, not having clear and unobstructed view of the site, clean access to the sutures for tying, etc. Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for passing a suture which can be effectively used in arthroscopic surgery.